What Type of Engine Oil Should Be Used in Winter?
2 Answers
In winter, use 5W30 engine oil. During winter, it's advisable to use engine oil with low viscosity as high viscosity can make it difficult to start the vehicle. In summer, 5W40 engine oil is generally used, which has higher viscosity and provides better lubrication protection for the vehicle. However, there are also all-season engine oils available, which are more convenient as they eliminate the need to switch between summer and winter oils. During winter, when temperatures are low, conventional engine oil can become semi-solid or semi-fluid, reducing its flowability. Lower quality oils may even stop flowing entirely. This means the oil takes longer to reach engine components to provide lubrication and protection, making the vehicle harder to start and increasing wear. Starting the vehicle immediately after ignition can cause dry friction, which over time can damage the cylinder walls, leading to abnormal engine noises, idle vibrations, and in severe cases, even oil burning.
When it comes to changing engine oil in winter, I helped my elderly neighbor with this last year. His decade-old Camry had trouble starting in cold weather. The key is to look at the number with W on the oil container, like 5W-30 or 0W-20. The smaller the number before W, the better the low-temperature fluidity – just like how 0W is most reliable in Heilongjiang's -30°C winters. I switched him to full synthetic 0W-30, and the next morning the tachometer stabilized much faster. If the oil is too thick, it won't pump properly when cold, causing dry friction that damages the engine. Also, avoid mixing different oil brands as residual old oil can form sludge. It's best to change before winter and have the mechanic check the battery health – these two are the golden winter prep combo.
